Abstract
An exploratory study was carried out on Ioo pulmonary tuberculous patients to know how their oral environments were contaminated by tubercle bacilli. Mouth washings, tooth deposits including tooth plaque and calculus and sputa from each patient were collected and examined respectively directly by smear and by culture. Of one hundred individuals examined, 15 gave positive results in sputa by culture as well as by smear, but with negative results in mouth washings and tooth deposits, and another 15 gave positive results both in sputa and mouth washings by smear and culture methods, but negative in tooth deposits. There were 5 who gave positive results in mouth washings and negative in sputa, and 2 who gave negative results both in sputa and mouth washings, but positive results in tooth deposits.
